Spoelstra on Dragic, Deng: “Hopefully they love us”

Erik Spoelstra hopes Goran Dragic will stick in Miami for a long time. (Getty Images)

Erik Spoelstra hopes Goran Dragic will stick in Miami for a long time. (Getty Images)

Goran Dragic and Luol Deng have to decide whether they want to be back with the Heat next season, and the team is eager to have them.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said today he thinks there is a good relationship between the organization and both players as they head toward potential free agency July 1.

“We love them; Hopefully they love us,” Spoelstra said. “I love working with them and our staff loved working with them. They’re two pros. From an objective point of view, they’re not difficult guys to work with. They’re absolute pros, the kind of guys you want to build your team around, the guys you want to go to work with, the guys you want to be in a foxhole with.

“The next two months (the playoffs), what that feels like, you want to have guys like that. When this thing kicks off this weekend, you have to have reliable professionals, and both of those guys’ resumes and careers scream that.”

Dragic will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Deng has a player option for $10.2 million next season. He can opt in and stay, or decline it and sign a new deal with the Heat or another team.

Dragic has been clear that he wants to be back in Miami. Deng appears to be inclined to stay, but was not ready to fully discuss his plans when asked this week.